by John Milton
To what highth sacred vertue and true worth
Can raise them, though above example high;
By matchless Deeds express thy matchless Sire.
For know, thou art no Son of mortal man,
235
Though men esteem thee low of Parentage,
Thy Father is th’ Eternal King, who rules
All Heav’n and Earth, Angels and Sons of men.
A messenger from God fore-told thy birth
Conceiv’d in me a Virgin, he fore-told
240
Thou shouldst be great and sit on David’s Throne,
And of thy Kingdom there should be no end.
At thy Nativity a glorious Quire
Of Angels in the fields of Bethlehem sung
To Shepherds watching at their folds by night,
245
And told them the Messiah now was born,
Where they might see him, and to thee they came;
Directed to the Manger where thou lais’t,
For in the Inn was left no better room:
A Star, not seen before in Heav’n appearing
250
Guided the Wise Men thither from the East,
To honour thee with Incense, Myrrh, and Gold,
By whose bright course led on they found the place,
Affirming it thy Star new grav’n in Heav’n,
By which they knew thee King of Israel born.
255
Just Simeon and Prophetic Anna, warn’d
By Vision,13 found thee in the Temple, and spake
Before the Altar and the vested Priest,
Like things of thee to all that present stood.
This having heard, strait I again revolv’d14
260
The Law and Prophets, searching what was writ
Concerning the Messiah, to our Scribes
Known partly, and soon found of whom they spake
I am; this chiefly, that my way must lie
Through many a hard assay ev’n to the death,
265
E’re I the promis’d Kingdom can attain,
Or work Redemption for mankind, whose sins
Full weight must be transferr’d upon my head.
Yet neither thus disheart’n’d or dismay’d,
The time prefixt I waited, when behold
270
The Baptist (of whose birth I oft had heard,
Not knew by sight) now come, who was to come
Before Messiah and his way prepare.
I as all others to his Baptism came,
Which I believ’d was from above; but he
275
Strait knew me, and with loudest voice proclaim’d
Me him (for it was shew’n him so from Heav’n)
Me him whose Harbinger he was; and first
Refus’d on me his Baptism to confer,
As much his greater, and was hardly won;
280
But as I rose out of the laving stream,
Heav’n open’d her eternal doors, from whence
The Spirit descended on me like a Dove,
And last the sum of all, my Father’s voice,
Audibly heard from Heav’n, pronounc’d me his,
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Me his beloved Son, in whom alone
He was well pleas’d; by which I knew the time
Now full, that I no more should live obscure,
But openly begin, as best becomes
Th’ Authority which I deriv’d from Heav’n.
290
And now by some strong motion I am led
Into this Wilderness, to what intent
I learn not yet, perhaps I need not know;
For what concerns my knowledge God reveals.
So spake our Morning Star15 then in his rise,
295
And looking round on every side beheld
A pathless Desert, dusk with horrid shades;
The way he came not having mark’d, return
Was difficult, by human steps untrod;
And he still on was led, but with such thoughts
300
Accompanied of things past and to come
Lodg’d in his brest, as well might recommend
Such Solitude before choicest Society.
Full forty days he pass’d, whether on hill
Sometimes, anon in shady vale, each night
305
Under the covert of some ancient Oak,
Or Cedar, to defend him from the dew,
Or harbour’d in one Cave, is not reveal’d;
Nor tasted human food, nor hunger felt
Till those days ended, hunger’d then at last
310
Among wild Beasts: they at his sight grew mild,
Nor sleeping him nor waking harm’d, his walk
The fiery Serpent fled, and noxious Worm,16
The Lion and fierce Tiger glar’d aloof.
But now an aged man in Rural weeds,
315
Following, as seem’d, the quest of some stray Ewe,
Or wither’d sticks to gather; which might serve
Against a Winters day when winds blow keen,
To warm him wet return’d from field at Eve,
He saw approach, who first with curious eye
320
Perus’d him, then with words thus utter’d spake.
Sir, what ill chance hath brought thee to this place
So far from path or road of men, who pass
In Troop or Caravan, for single none
Durst ever, who return’d, and dropt not here
325
His Carcass, pin’d with hunger and with droughth?
I ask the rather, and the more admire,
For that to me thou seem’st the man, whom late
Our new baptizing Prophet at the Ford
Of Jordan honour’d so, and call’d thee Son
330
Of God; I saw and heard, for we sometimes
Who dwell this wild, constrain’d by want, come forth
To Town or Village nigh (nighest is far)
Where aught we hear, and curious are to hear,
What happ’ns new; Fame also finds us out.
335
To whom the Son of God. Who brought me hither
Will bring me hence, no other Guide I seek.
By Miracle he may, reply’d the Swain,
What other way I see not, for we here
Live on tough roots and stubs, to thirst inur’d
340
More then the Camel, and to drink go far,
Men to much misery and hardship born;
But if thou be the Son of God, command
That out of these hard stones be made thee bread;
So shalt thou save thy self and us relieve
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With Food, whereof we wretched seldom taste.
He ended, and the Son of God reply’d.
Think’st thou such force in Bread? is it not written
(For I discern thee other then thou seem’st)
Man lives not by Bread only, but each Word
350
Proceeding from the mouth of God; who fed
Our Fathers here with Manna; in the Mount
Moses was forty days,17 nor eat nor drank,
And forty days Eliah without food
Wander’d this barren waste,18 the same I now:
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Why dost thou then suggest to me distrust,
Knowing who I am, as I know who thou art?
Whom thus answer’d th’ Arch Fiend now undisguis’d.
’Tis true, I am that Spirit unfortunate,
Who leagu’d with millions more in rash revolt
360
Kept not my happy Station, but was driv’n
With them from bliss to the bottomless deep,
Yet to that hideous place not so confin’d
By rigour unconniving,19 but that oft
Leaving m
y dolorous Prison I enjoy
365
Large liberty to round this Globe of Earth,
Or range in th’ Air, nor from the Heav’n of Heav’ns
Hath he excluded my resort sometimes.
I came among the Sons of God, when he
Gave up into my hands Uzzean Job
370
To prove him, and illustrate his high worth;
And when to all his Angels he propos’d
To draw the proud King Ahab into fraud
That he might fall in Ramoth, they demurring,
I undertook that office, and the tongues
375
Of all his flattering Prophets glibb’d with lies
To his destruction, as I had in charge.20
For what he bids I do; though I have lost
Much lustre of my native brightness, lost
To be belov’d of God, I have not lost
380
To love, at least contemplate and admire
What I see excellent in good, or fair,
Or vertuous, I should so have lost all sense.
What can be then less in me then desire
To see thee and approach thee, whom I know
385
Declar’d the Son of God, to hear attent21
Thy wisdom, and behold thy God-like deeds?
Men generally think me much a foe
To all mankind: why should I? they to me
Never did wrong or violence, by them
390
I lost not what I lost, rather by them
I gain’d what I have gain’d, and with them dwell
Copartner in these Regions of the World,
If not disposer; lend them oft my aid,
Oft my advice by presages and signs,
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And answers, oracles, portents and dreams,
Whereby they may direct their future life.
Envy they say excites me, thus to gain
Companions of my misery and wo.
At first it may be; but long since with wo
400
Nearer acquainted, now I feel by proof,
That fellowship in pain divides not smart,
Nor lightens aught each mans peculiar load.
Small consolation then, were Man adjoyn’d:
This wounds me most (what can it less) that Man,
405
Man fall’n shall be restor’d, I never more.
To whom our Saviour sternly thus reply’d.
Deservedly thou griev’st, compos’d of lies
From the beginning, and in lies wilt end;
Who boast’st release from Hell, and leave to come
410
Into the Heav’n of Heav’ns; thou corn’st indeed,
As a poor miserable captive thrall
Comes to the place where he before had sat
Among the Prime in Splendour, now depos’d,
Ejected, emptied, gaz’d, unpitied, shun’d,
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A spectacle of ruin or of scorn
To all the Host of Heav’n; the happy place
Imparts to thee no happiness, no joy,
Rather inflames thy torment, representing
Lost bliss, to thee no more communicable,
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So never more in Hell then when in Heav’n.
But thou art serviceable to Heav’ns King.
Wilt thou impute t’ obedience what thy fear
Extorts, or pleasure to do ill excites?
What but thy malice mov’d thee to misdeem
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Of righteous Job, then cruelly to afflict him
With all inflictions, but his patience won?
The other service was thy chosen task,
To be a liar in four hundred mouths;22
For lying is thy sustenance, thy food.23
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Yet thou pretend’st to truth; all Oracles
By thee are giv’n, and what confest more true
Among the Nations? that hath been thy craft,
By mixing somewhat true to vent more lies.
But what have been thy answers, what but dark,
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Ambiguous and with double sense deluding,
Which they who ask’d have seldom understood,
And not well understood as good not known?
Who ever by consulting at thy shrine
Return’d the wiser, or the more instruct
440
To fly or follow what concern’d him most,
And run not sooner to his fatal snare?
For God hath justly giv’n the Nations up
To thy Delusions; justly, since they fell
Idolatrous, but when his purpose is
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Among them to declare his Providence
To thee not known, whence hast thou then thy truth,
But from him or his Angels President24
In every Province, who themselves disdaining
T’ approach thy Temples, give thee in command
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What to the smallest tittle thou shalt say
To thy Adorers; thou with trembling fear,
Or like a Fawning Parasite obey’st;
Then to thy self ascrib’st the truth fore-told.
But this thy glory shall be soon retrench’d;
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No more shalt thou by oracling abuse
The Gentiles; henceforth Oracles are ceast,
And thou no more with Pomp and Sacrifice
Shalt be enquir’d at Delphos or elsewhere,
At least in vain, for they shall find thee mute.
460
God hath now sent his living Oracle
Into the World, to teach his final will,
And sends his Spirit of Truth henceforth to dwell
In pious Hearts, an inward Oracle
To all truth requisite for men to know.
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So spake our Saviour; but the subtle Fiend,
Though inly stung with anger and disdain,
Dissembl’d, and this Answer smooth return’d.
Sharply thou hast insisted on rebuke,
And urg’d me hard with doings, which not will
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But misery hath wrested from me; where
Easily canst thou find one miserable,
And not inforc’d oft-times to part from truth;
If it may stand him more in stead to lie,
Say and unsay, feign, flatter, or abjure?
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But thou art plac’t above me, thou art Lord;
From thee I can and must submiss25 endure
Check or reproof, and glad to scape so quit.
Hard are the ways of truth, and rough to walk,
Smooth on the tongue discourst, pleasing to th’ ear,
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And tuneable as Silvan Pipe or Song;
What wonder then if I delight to hear
Her dictates from thy mouth? most men admire
Vertue, who follow not her lore: permit me
To hear thee when I come (since no man comes)
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And talk at least, though I despair t’ attain.
Thy Father, who is holy, wise and pure,
Suffers the Hypocrite or Atheous Priest
To tread his Sacred Courts, and minister
About his Altar, handling holy things,
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Praying or vowing, and vouchsaf’d his voice
To Balaam26 Reprobate, a Prophet yet
Inspir’d; disdain not such access to me.
To whom our Saviour with unalter’d brow.
Thy coming hither, though I know thy scope,
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I bid not or forbid; do as thou find’st
Permission from above; thou canst not more.
He added not; and Satan bowing low
His gray dissimulation, disappear’d
Into thin Air diffus’d: for now began
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>
Night with her sullen wing to double-shade
The Desert, Fowls in thir clay nests were couch’t;
And now wild Beasts came forth the woods to roam.
* * *
1 Drawn from Luke iv. 1–13 and Matt. iv. 1–11, the brief epic elaborates the three temptations in the wilderness: As Barbara Lewalski (SP, LVII, 1960, 186–220) views the poem, the first temptation (concupiscentia carnis or that of the flesh—hunger) explores Christ’s role as prophet in I, 294–502; it is concerned with the opposition of truth and falsehood. The second temptation (concupiscentia oculorum or that of the world—kingdoms) explores Christ’s role as king in II, 302–IV, 393; this extended assault on the virtues of temperance, contentment, magnanimity, and modesty is concerned with voluptaria (lures of sex, II, 153–234, and hunger, II, 302–405), activa (wealth, II, 406–86; glory, III, 108–44; and kingdom, III, 150–IV, 211) and contemplativa (poetry and philosophy, IV, 212–364). The third temptation (superbia vitae or that of the devil—the tower) explores Christ’s role as priest in IV, 397–580; it involves imagery of the passion, sustained by patience and fortitude, leading to full identity as Son of God. The temptations to gluttony, avarice, and vainglory are arranged to move from necessity and limited bodily appeal, to fraud and man’s relationships with the world, to violence and the pervasiveness of sin in all things, should the Son fall, through rejection of man’s relationship with God. Christ is conceived as an example of Aristotelian magnanimity, as Merritt Y. Hughes illustrates in SP, XXXV (1938), 258–72; that is, a hero who whether accepting or refusing riches, advantages, or honors is actuated by a proper regard for his own dignity. Satan, on the other hand, is the antithesis of Christ: selfish, ambitious, devious, quibbling, and envious. As allegory, the poem points the way to achieve the kingdom of heaven: through virtuous obedience to God.
2 probably referring to Thomas Ellwood’s prompting after seeing the manuscript of PL: “but what hast thou to say of Paradise found?” (The History of the Life of Thomas Ellwood [London, 1714], p. 234).
3 with fully grown feathers; i.e., with mature poetic powers.